Speech by Mr Peter Lam, CEO/ITE, at AI Festival Asia 2026

Ms Jasmin Lau, Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information & Ministry of Education

Mr Ang Yuit, President of Association of Small and Medium Enterprises

Distinguished Industry Partners and SME owners

Ladies and Gentlemen

1.            Good morning, and welcome to AI Festival Asia or AIFA 2026.

2.            This is the first year AIFA is jointly organised by ITE and ASME, and we are delighted to host so many industry partners and SME leaders. Your presence reflects the importance of collaboration in advancing Singapore’s AI journey and ensuring that AI adoption is practical, inclusive, and value-driven.

Why We’re Here

3.            AI is no longer a future concept.  It is transforming businesses today.  Yet for many SMEs, adopting AI can seem daunting. Where to start? Which solutions matter? How to build capabilities?

4.            AIFA 2026 aims to address these questions. At ITE, we aim not just to train the tomorrow’s workforce, but also to enable SMEs to take practical steps in adopting AI. This platform connects SMEs with technology partners and our students, who bring fresh perspectives, applied skills, and strong problem-solving mindsets.

5.            Together, SMEs, technology partners, and ITE teams tackle real business challenges, from ideation and prototyping to testing and deployment. Students can contribute through projects and internships, while technology partners provide platforms, tools, and expertise. This collaborative approach lowers barriers, reduces risk, and helps SMEs move from curiosity to confidence in using AI.

What You Will Experience

6.            Over the next two days, nine plenary sessions will feature leaders, experts and practitioners sharing actionable insights across sectors, such as F&B, Retail, Logistics, and Wellness.

7.            Do explore the exhibition booths showcasing AI solutions and students’ AI projects with companies, and engage with them to spark partnerships and innovation. 

Building an Ecosystem Together

8.            Industry projects provide a good experience for our students to deepen their technical competencies and understand how the knowledge they have learned in the classroom can be applied in real-world settings. Such partnerships are not just central to ITE’s mission, but are also critical to raise AI capabilities and adoption across the industry. Today, ASME and Lenovo will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen support for SMEs in their AI adoption journey. This adds to several existing collaborations that support SMEs on their AI journey through training, advisory services and joint projects.  These initiatives will also provide students with valuable industry exposure while helping businesses prototype solutions that can create real impact. 

Closing

9.            Before I conclude, I thank MOS Jasmin Lau for gracing this event. My gratitude also goes to ASME, our technology partners, and all collaborators who made AIFA 2026 possible. Special thanks to the organising teams from ITE and ASME for their dedication in bringing this festival to life.

10.        I wish everyone a fruitful and inspiring experience. May the connections you make here lead to meaningful partnerships and new possibilities.

11.        Thank you, and enjoy AI Festival Asia 2026!